The present invention relates generally to communications, and more particularly to telephone communications.
A demarcation point, referred to as a network interface device (NID), is typically provided between a telephone subscriber""s premises line and an incoming line from a telephone service provider. A device typically used at a NID for physically connecting subscriber telephone line(s) with incoming telephone provider line(s) is referred to as a subscriber bridge. A subscriber bridge typically includes a jack connected to an incoming telephone line. A plug connected to the subscriber""s telephone line is generally located nearby. When the plug of the subscriber""s line is inserted into the jack, an interconnection is made between the subscriber""s telephone line and the incoming telephone service provider line.
Increasingly, existing homes and homes under construction are being xe2x80x9cnetworkedxe2x80x9d wherein communications cables (video, data, and telephone) are being extended to multiple rooms. The benefits of xe2x80x9chome networkingxe2x80x9d may include the ability to network multiple computers, printers and peripherals throughout a home; to access the Internet through a single high-speed connection in multiple locations in the home; to watch an internally modulated video signal such as a video cassette recorder (VCR), digital video disk (DVD), or satellite television receiver from any room in the home; to use a digital phone system, such as an ISDN line, throughout the home; to add security video cameras in the home and view them on any television; and to add future equipment that may allow a homeowner to use the same hand-held remote control in any room.
Home networking conventionally utilizes a central distribution panel that serves as a gateway or interface to various communications services. Within a conventional central distribution panel, cable distribution modules are typically utilized to receive a cable from a service provider and to distribute the service provided through the cable among various distribution cables that are routed throughout the home. For example, a telephone line distribution module may be configured to distribute an incoming telephone service provider line into multiple cables routed within a home.
A conventional central distribution panel 10 for receiving and distributing various telecommunications services is illustrated in FIG. 1. A telecommunications service entering a home is typically routed into the central distribution panel 10 via a cable. From the central distribution panel 10, telecommunications cables are routed to wall taps in various locations throughout a home to distribute the various telecommunications services.
A series of telephone connection interfaces (receptacles and plugs) referred to as xe2x80x9cRJxe2x80x9d (registered jacks) are conventionally utilized to interconnect an incoming telephone service provider line with multiple cables routed within a home. An RJ-14 jack conventionally has four contacts which usually make electrical connections to a red and green pair of wires, and a black and yellow pair of wires. One wire in each pair is conventionally referred to as a xe2x80x9ctipxe2x80x9d wire, and the other wire in each pair is conventionally referred to as a xe2x80x9cringxe2x80x9d wire.
A conventional RJ-14 plug 20 is illustrated in FIG. 2A, and a conventional RJ-14 receptacle 22 configured to receive an RJ-14 plug is illustrated in FIG. 2B. As is known to those skilled in the art, wires (not shown) terminate at the illustrated RJ-14 plug 20 at respective pins 1-4. Similarly, and as known to those skilled in the art, wires (not shown) terminate at the illustrated RJ-14 receptacle 22 at respective pins 1-4. As is understood by those skilled in the art, pins 1-4 in an RJ-14 plug 20 are configured to electrically connect with pins 1-4 in an RJ-14 receptacle 22 receiving the RJ-14 plug therein.
By convention, wires terminating at pins 2 and 3 in an RJ-14 plug 20 and receptacle 22 represent the primary telephone line, wherein one pin (2 or 3) is the tip wire and the other pin (2 or 3) is the ring wire of the primary telephone line. By the same convention, wires terminating at pins 1 and 4 in an RJ-14 plug 20 and receptacle 22 represent the secondary telephone line, wherein one pin (1 or 4) is the tip wire and the other pin (1 or 4) is the ring wire of the secondary telephone line.
A conventional RJ-45 plug 24 is illustrated in FIG. 3A, and a conventional RJ-45 receptacle 26 configured to receive an RJ-45 plug is illustrated in FIG. 3B. As is known to those skilled in the art, wires terminate at the illustrated RJ-45 plug 24 at respective pins 1-8. Similarly, and as is known to those skilled in the art, wires terminate at the illustrated RJ-45 receptacle 26 at respective pins 1-8. As is understood by those of skill in the art, pins 1-8 in an RJ-45 plug 24 are configured to electrically connect with pins 1-8 in an RJ-45 receptacle 26 receiving an RJ-45 plug therein.
By convention, wires terminating at pins 4 and 5 in an RJ-45 plug 24 and receptacle 26 represent the primary telephone line, wherein one pin (4 or 5) is the tip wire and the other pin (4 or 5) is the ring wire of the primary telephone line. By the same convention, wires terminating at pins 3 and 6 in an RJ-45 plug 24 and receptacle 26 represent the secondary telephone line, wherein one pin (3 or 6) is the tip wire and the other pin (3 or 6) is the ring wire of the primary telephone line. Wires terminating at pins 1 and 2 in an RJ-45 plug 24 and receptacle 26 represent the third telephone line, wherein one pin (1 or 2) is the tip wire and the other pin (1 or 2) is the ring wire of the third telephone line. Wires terminating at pins 7 and 8 in an RJ-45 plug 24 and receptacle 26 represent the fourth telephone line, wherein one pin (7 or 8) is the tip wire and the other pin (7 or 8) is the ring wire of the fourth telephone line.
It may be desirable for a subscriber to be able to designate which line, from two or more incoming lines, is the primary telephone line. Exemplary situations where this may be desirable include where an office is maintained in the home, where high speed internet service is provided via one the incoming lines, and where telephones utilized are designed to accept only one or two incoming lines. Unfortunately, for a subscriber having multiple telephone lines, the above-described convention may make it difficult to designate different lines as the primary and secondary lines. For example, a subscriber wishing to switch the primary and/or secondary line designations within an RJ-14 (or RJ-45) jack may be required to physically alter the positions of the respective tip and ring wires (either at the plug or receptacle) to conform to the above-described convention. For example, the subscriber using the RJ-14 plug of FIG. 2A may be required to physically switch the respective wires terminating at pins 1 and 2, and would also have to physically switch the respective wires terminating at pins 3 and 4. Because the physical reconfiguration of RJ plugs and/or receptacles is generally undesirable, a need exists for a convenient and easy way of redesignating primary and secondary telephone lines.
In view of the above discussion, telephone line distribution apparatus that permit easy user-selection of primary and secondary telephone lines without requiring physical rewiring of RJ plugs or receptacles are provided. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a telephone line distribution apparatus includes a first RJ connector, one or more second RJ connectors, and a switching device that allows a subscriber to designate which of a plurality of incoming telephone lines is the subscriber""s primary line and secondary line. The first RJ connector includes first tip and ring pins that are electrically connected to respective tip and ring wires of a first incoming telephone line, and second tip and ring pins that are electrically connected to respective tip and ring wires of a second incoming telephone line. Additional tip and ring pins may be connected to respective tip and ring wires of additional incoming telephone lines.
One or more of the second RJ connectors includes first tip and ring pins that are electrically connected to respective tip and ring wires of a subscriber primary telephone line, and second tip and ring pins that are electrically connected to respective tip and ring wires of a subscriber secondary telephone line. The switching device has first and second user-selectable configurations. When in the first configuration, the first incoming telephone line becomes the subscriber primary telephone line at one or more of the second RJ connectors. When the switching device is in the second configuration, the second incoming telephone line becomes the subscriber primary telephone line at one or more of the second RJ connectors.
According to embodiments of the present invention, the switching device includes a terminal block having first, second, third, and fourth ring terminals arranged in a row in adjacent, spaced-apart relationship. The terminal block also includes first, second, third, and fourth tip terminals arranged in adjacent, spaced-apart relationship. The second and fourth ring terminals are electrically connected to the first ring pin at each of the second RJ connectors. The second and fourth tip terminals are electrically connected to the first tip pin at each of the second RJ connectors.
The switching device also includes a shunt device that is configured to be removably secured to the terminal block in first and second positions. In the first position, the shunt device electrically connects the first and second ring terminals of the terminal block and electrically connects the first and second tip terminals of the terminal block so that the first incoming telephone line becomes the subscriber primary telephone line at one or more of the second RJ connectors. In the second position, the shunt device electrically connects the third and fourth ring terminals of the terminal block and electrically connects the third and fourth tip terminals of the terminal block so that the second incoming telephone line becomes the subscriber primary telephone line at one or more of the second RJ connectors.
According to other embodiments of the present invention, telephone line distribution apparatus may be mounted on printed circuit boards (PCBs) and housed within cable distribution devices. Moreover, multiple PCBs may be electrically connected together to allow additional subscriber telephone lines to be designated as primary or secondary lines.
A telephone line distribution apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a first RJ connector, one or more second RJ connectors, and first and second switching devices that allow a subscriber to designate which of a plurality of incoming telephone lines is the subscriber""s primary line and which is the secondary line. The first RJ connector includes first tip and ring pins that are electrically connected to respective tip and ring wires of a first incoming telephone line; second tip and ring pins that are electrically connected to respective tip and ring wires of a second incoming telephone line; third tip and ring pins that are electrically connected to respective tip and ring wires of a third incoming telephone line; and fourth tip and ring pins that are electrically connected to respective tip and ring wires of a fourth incoming telephone line.
One or more of the second RJ connectors includes first tip and ring pins that are electrically connected to respective tip and ring wires of a subscriber primary telephone line; second tip and ring pins that are electrically connected to respective tip and ring wires of a subscriber secondary telephone line; third tip and ring pins that are electrically connected to respective tip and ring wires of a subscriber tertiary telephone line; and fourth tip and ring pins that are electrically connected to respective tip and ring wires of a subscriber fourth telephone line.
The first switching device has first, second, third, and fourth user-selectable configurations. When the first switching device is in the first configuration, the first incoming telephone line becomes the subscriber primary telephone line at one or more of the second RJ connectors. When the first switching device is in the second configuration, the second incoming telephone line becomes the subscriber primary telephone line at one or more of the second RJ connectors. When the first switching device is in the third configuration, the third incoming telephone line becomes the subscriber primary telephone line at one or more of the second RJ connectors. When the first switching device is in the fourth configuration, the fourth incoming telephone line becomes the subscriber primary telephone line at one or more of the second RJ connectors.
The second switching device has first, second, third, and fourth user-selectable configurations. When the second switching device is in the first configuration, the first incoming telephone line becomes the subscriber secondary telephone line at one or more of the second RJ connectors. When the second switching device is in the second configuration, the second incoming telephone line becomes the subscriber secondary telephone line at one or more of the second RJ connectors. When the second switching device is in the third configuration, the third incoming telephone line becomes the subscriber secondary telephone line at one or more of the second RJ connectors. When the second switching device is in the fourth configuration, the fourth incoming telephone line becomes the subscriber secondary telephone line at one or more of the second RJ connectors.
According to other embodiments of the present invention, a telephone line distribution apparatus that allows a subscriber to designate which of a plurality of incoming telephone lines is the subscriber""s primary line may include DSL signal splitting capabilities. According to an embodiment of the present invention, such a telephone line distribution apparatus may include a first RJ connector, a first switching device that identifies which one of the incoming telephone lines is carrying DSL signals, a splitter configured to separate DSL signals and voice telephone signals from an identified one of the incoming telephone lines, a second RJ connector electrically connected to the splitter that receives DSL signals that have been separated by the splitter, and a third RJ connector electrically connected to the splitter and to the first RJ connector to receive the incoming telephone lines that carry voice telephone signals only.
The present invention may provide a compact and easy way of customizing telephone lines within a home or building. Multiple telephone line combinations can be provided and modified without requiring the use of special wired cables or other devices which may be complicated and/or expensive.